When editing client copy for clarity and conciseness, one of the first things I cut is the overuse of . . . well . . . of.
Author: Kim Siever
I am a copywriter and copyeditor. I blog on writing and social media tips mostly, but I sometimes throw in my thoughts about running a small business.
Follow me on Twitter at @hotpepper.
Why we need to stop using “she/he” and “him/her”
I was editing a few projects for a client recently, and I noticed a tendency to use constructions such as “him or her“, “his or hers”, “he or she”, and so on. Sometimes, the author replaced the or with a slash. The reason for this, I presume, is that they want to be gender inclusive,… Continue reading Why we need to stop using “she/he” and “him/her”
Social media in 2018: How to keep up with social media tools
Countless companies worldwide know how important social media is to marketing strategy. One thing they often overlook. however, is how quickly the state of social media marketing can change. Trends constantly evolve, particularly as channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram continue introducing new solutions and algorithms to keep their users happy. If you want to… Continue reading Social media in 2018: How to keep up with social media tools
Difference between i.e. and e.g.
This is part of the difference between series. People often confuse these two closely related Latin abbreviations. Here is the difference. i.e. i.e. is short for id est, which means “that is” or “in other words”. I work 35 hours a week (i.e. I have 7-hour workdays). e.g. e.g. is short for exempli gratia, which… Continue reading Difference between i.e. and e.g.
5 alternatives you can use instead of “looking for”
This week, I received a 300-page editing project from one of my oldest clients. I’m about 20 pages in, and one thing I’ve noticed is that this client seems to prefer the phrase “looking for”. It’s something I’ve seen quite a bit actually.
If you’re correcting grammar on social media, you’re just being a jerk
I’d like to take a moment to talk about correcting grammar. (Or spelling, or punctuation, or writing in general.) I get paid to correct others’ grammar for a living. I read dozens of pages every day, looking for editing mistakes. Sometimes, it makes my head hurt. So, when I log out for the day, the… Continue reading If you’re correcting grammar on social media, you’re just being a jerk
How to add multiple Twitter accounts to your mobile app
Twitter recently shuttered their desktop app. It was a great app for managing multiple accounts from one place. The move angered people who had come to love its ease of use and its similarity to the mobile app. Luckily, this change didn’t affect the mobile app, which still allows you to manage more than one… Continue reading How to add multiple Twitter accounts to your mobile app
Why you should reconsider using “now” in your writing
One thing I specialize in is whittling down wordiness. You could argue that wordiness is even a pet peeve of mine. A popular wordiness culprit is the use of the word “now” (and its cousins “currently” and “presently”).
10 wordiness examples and how I shortened them
While editing client documents, I often encounter superfluous phrasing. I quickly edit it to its main message, using as few words as possible to make the message as strong as possible. When I think of it, I tweet examples to my Twitter accounts under the hashtag #shrinktip, a nod to an article I wrote with techniques… Continue reading 10 wordiness examples and how I shortened them
Why you should use contractions when writing for the web
One rule I learned early on from my teachers is to never use contractions in writing. This was drilled into me during university as I wrote book reports and research papers. In fact, most formal writing abhors contractions. But there’s one place that loves contractions: web writing.The thing about people who read on the web—whether a blog about… Continue reading Why you should use contractions when writing for the web